Oscraps

European travel

clarabear

clarabear

always chatty at the O!!
So I am planning a trip to Ireland next year (I've asked about this before but thought if ask again). I am very overwhelmed on all the options out there for trips. Have any if you booked an amazing European vacation and who was it through. Selena may have mentioned that Dublin is where it is at. Which we are totally going to see but I'm also wondering where else we need to see.

So ANY ideas and suggestions are welcome. I'd love to post on FB but since it is a surprise...I can't. :(
 
Z

zwyck

Well-Known Member
I have never been on Ireland but heard a lot about its beauty. Cliffs of Moher is one of Ireland's most spectacular sights. 230 feet high and eight-kilometer form the dramatic limestone cliffs wall facing the Atlantic.
 
tanteva

tanteva

Mistress of Mayhem
(Not that it matters for this thread but I can see people's location now that I'm using the phone, but not on my computer. Explain that. ;) I'll have to remember that til next time it's trivia time. Also I need to be less addicted to the O so I don't feel the need to check new posts in the middle of the night when I should be sleeping. iPhone must be the worst thing that ever happened mankind LOL)
 
marijke

marijke

I love the O!
CHEERY O
Clara ... Years ago we made ​​a trip to Ireland ... we visited the whole west coast - it's lovely .... lakes, mountains, cliffs, .... the atmosphere in the pubs ... I would still go back sometime ...
 
Bush Girl

Bush Girl

Well-Known Member
Despite having more Irish blood in me than anything else, I've only ever been to Dublin (several times but inevitably involving enough booze to float a cruise ship!) so I can't offer any other suggestions. However, if I could go tomorrow I'd definitely want to go along the west coast, slowly, involving plenty of pit stop on beaches and in pubs.

And you just might have to do a stop over in London, Clara - it's obligatory!!
 
faerywings

faerywings

The Loopy-O
CHEERY O
My IL's went to Ireland last year with a tour and they loved every minute of it. I know that they went to the cliffs of Moher, the Giant's Causeway, Dublin, Belfast, the Guiness and Baleek "factories"
If you want more info, I can ask my MIL
 
scribler

scribler

The O is my hOme.
CHEERY O
Ireland is on my travel bucket list. My sister went a few years ago and my dh has actually been twice (many years ago), but I've never traveled anywhere in Europe.
 
Tamsin

Tamsin

Well-Known Member
Clara, whatever you do don't miss Dingle in Kerry. It's a harbour town and as picturesque as they come. Pop into Dick Macs pub /cobbler. It's famous. The whole peninsula is worth a tour though. There are ruins and the Beehive Huts round about if that's your thing.

And then there's Galway. A don't miss destination for sure. Very bohemian - a university, museum. Good place to stay a few days because there's the ocean cliffs and hills and river valleys all round and plenty to see in the city itself as well.

As an American you would enjoy the beautiful heritage town of Cobh in Cork from where so many American Irish immigrants left Ireland. There's are museums dedicated to the Lusitania and the Titanic.

If you can get to the north go to Antrim and on a fine day take the coastal road from Ballycastle to Larne and visit all the villages in the glens between - Cushenden and Cushendall, Waterfoot. Carnlough is worth a good look round. Glenarriff. All picture book beautiful. It's not far - 80k or so but allow all day because you'll want to stop everywhere. Not far from here is Doagh, the famine village which you might want to visit first depending which way you're going.

Other than those musts.

Kilkenny: wonderful picture book scenery. The town itself has a castle.

I'm also sure you'd like Inis Mor. You can see the whole island by pony and trap which is a unique experience.

Kylemore in Connemara. The Abbey is worth it alone.

I'm sure you've checked out Dublin - Trinity College is a must there.

Those were the highlights for me. You'll love it !
 
Bush Girl

Bush Girl

Well-Known Member
Tamsin said:
Clara, whatever you do don't miss Dingle in Kerry. It's a harbour town and as picturesque as they come. Pop into Dick Macs pub /cobbler. It's famous. The whole peninsula is worth a tour though. There are ruins and the Beehive Huts round about if that's your thing.

And then there's Galway. A don't miss destination for sure. Very bohemian - a university, museum. Good place to stay a few days because there's the ocean cliffs and hills and river valleys all round and plenty to see in the city itself as well.

As an American you would enjoy the beautiful heritage town of Cobh in Cork from where so many American Irish immigrants left Ireland. There's are museums dedicated to the Lusitania and the Titanic.

If you can get to the north go to Antrim and on a fine day take the coastal road from Ballycastle to Larne and visit all the villages in the glens between - Cushenden and Cushendall, Waterfoot. Carnlough is worth a good look round. Glenarriff. All picture book beautiful. It's not far - 80k or so but allow all day because you'll want to stop everywhere. Not far from here is Doagh, the famine village which you might want to visit first depending which way you're going.

Other than those musts.

Kilkenny: wonderful picture book scenery. The town itself has a castle.

I'm also sure you'd like Inis Mor. You can see the whole island by pony and trap which is a unique experience.

Kylemore in Connemara. The Abbey is worth it alone.

I'm sure you've checked out Dublin - Trinity College is a must there.

Those were the highlights for me. You'll love it !
Click to expand...


See now it takes an Australian from 10,000 miles away to point out the best bits of Ireland. How embarrassed does that make me feel, given that I live next door! :embarassed:
 
Romy

Romy

Well-Known Member
I bookmarked this thread so I'll know all the places when I plan a trip Northern Europe
 
Tamsin

Tamsin

Well-Known Member
Clara, we planned our own trip so I'm not much help. We did a fly/drive starting in Dublin. Ireland is so small you can get where you want to go in an hour or two and only bad weather would prevent you from seeing all you want to see if you travel independently.

We went late March which I can recommend as it's off season - no queues and easier to find accommodation but that might not be a good fit for you.

Perhaps suss out a few reputable travel agencies and sound them out.

Links that might be helpful.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Ireland
http://www.cietours.com/

Good luck! Oh and I forgot to mention Portmagee!
 
Bush Girl

Bush Girl

Well-Known Member
Tasmin's got a good point about the weather - Ireland's not known for it's good weather - bwahahahahah!!!

I figure you'll be restricted to the kids holiday periods for when you can travel, but if you could choose, September is often better than the high summer months in the west of the UK, so I'm guessing Ireland will be the same.

Winters will be potentially milder than the rest of Europe, but also wetter. But don't come in the winter - you'll remember Italian winters, now knock off 10 degrees and add some more rain and that's what Ireland will be like.

May/June could be nice.

"High season" will be early/mid April and mid July to end August.
 
clarabear

clarabear

always chatty at the O!!
Were going over st. Patricks day. We considered a self driving tour but that leaves the issue that we'd have to have designated drivers I'll check that link.
 
Tamsin

Tamsin

Well-Known Member
Great time to go Clara!

A friend of mine has two daughters who went to Ireland 2 years ago. Flew into Dublin and did their thing and then just caught a local bus wherever they wanted to go. They rented a car once or twice when bus timetables didn't suit. Had no problems at all. They were young though and didn't mind getting off and on buses and weren't shy about asking anyone about the time and how to get to the bus stop and all of that. Had backpacks. Impractical if you have a heap of luggage. Useful to know you can do it though because if one of the party wanted to stop and look around somewhere they could catch you up and leave their luggage in the car with you.

As I understand it they could pay their fare from say Galway to Dingle, but hop off half way and spend a few hours sightseeing, then continue on to Dingle - all for the price of 1 fare. I'd go into that a bit more though. Don't take my word for it.

This is one link I found if you're at all interested in that alternative.

http://www.buseireann.ie

The beauty of having a car at your disposable is you can sleep in, stay the extra day where you want to explore further. If the weather is unkind you can go somewhere else and come back or hunker down in a comfy B&B for the day /catch up with the locals at a pub/cafe. Would still enjoy yourself.
 
Dumpty

Dumpty

back hOme and loving it
How cool Clara. You do realize that the best way there is via astopover in Nice right ? ;)
 
Bush Girl

Bush Girl

Well-Known Member
Dumpty said:
How cool Clara. You do realize that the best way there is via astopover in Nice right ? ;)
Click to expand...

Followed by a stop over in London.

Of course, you could visit Sandrine & Sabine on your way up from Dumpty's to mine!


And I'm sure a few more of the Euro girls will chime in here too.
 
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